Awareness campaigns
Public awareness campaigns in transport typically aim to encourage the public to shift away from personal motorised travel to public transport, walking or cycling (however, other types of awareness campaigns can also be possible – e.g. to encourage the uptake of low-carbon vehicles). The target group of a campaign can include the population of a city, a specific neighbourhood, or those living near a specific public transport line or other mobility service. Other groups (e.g. the elderly or commuters) may also be targeted by public awareness campaigns. Campaigns can take different forms, e.g. billboards in public areas, the dissemination of information individually via digital or physical means, or holding of events aimed at raising awareness. Active mobility consultancy is a type of direct marketing campaign where current and potential passengers are provided with information regarding the advantages of travel via soft modes. Campaigns can also include incentives to reduce the barriers to mode shifts, e.g. via the provision of free public transport passes or of bicycles and/or other cycling equipment.
CO2 benefits of an information campaign (thanks to a potential reduction in private motorised vehicles) may relative to the funds that are spent on the campaign. The following cases could be identified:
- EUR 0.60 (euros) per person in the target group: around 0.65% reduction in car use
- EUR 160 per person in the target group: around 14% reduction in car use
- EUR 2 300 per person in the target group: around 44% reduction in car use.
The potential of mode shift thanks to campaigns depends on the availability/performance of public transport infrastructure as well as of infrastructure and services for soft modes (e.g. including cycle-sharing schemes).
Costs for information campaigns comprise staff costs, costs for information material/events and other items that are distributed to the target group of the campaigns (if done). Guidance on optimal levels of spending could not be identified. Costs covered by public transport authorities may be balanced via revenues from increased ridership.
In the literature, case studies of campaigns can be identified that vary in their costs from EUR 0.10 per household to EUR 2 300 per individual (the latter cost estimate being for a campaign that comprised the provision of free public transport passes and cycling equipment for the participants). Typical costs for campaigns ranged from EUR 0.10 to EUR 0.50 per target group member.
Co‑benefits of campaigns relate to:
- the reduction of car use (e.g. reduction in air pollution, congestion etc.)
- change in trip behaviour (e.g. the increased use of soft modes and related physical health impacts) that may also incite the use of local shops and services and hence benefit the local community/economy.
None identified.
ITF (2021) Transport Climate Action Directory – Awareness campaigns
https://www.itf-oecd.org/policy/awareness-campaigns
Cairns et al. (2004) Smarter Choices – Changing the Way We Travel; Chapter 7 - Travel awareness campaigns. http://www.transportforqualityoflife.com/u/files/Smarter_Choices_Changing_The_Way_We _Travel_chapter7.pdf
European Commission (2016) Increasing peoples' awareness and use of public transport through active mobility consultancy with focus on feeder systems (SmartMove). https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/smartmove
Scheepers at al. (2014) Shifting from car to active transport: a systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions. Transportation research part A: policy and practice, 70, pp.264-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2014.10.015
Sommerfeld, C. and Rottmann, G. (2016) Ex post evaluation - Region Wittenberg, Deliverable 6.3, SmartMove Project. http://www.smartmoveproject.eu/uploads/Documents/Expost%20evaluations/SmartMove_D6_3_Ex-post_Evaluation_Report_Wittenberg.pdf
Victoria Transport Policy Institute (2015) TDM Encyclopedia - Victoria Transport Policy Institute - TDM Marketing, Information and Encouragement Programs. http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm23.htm
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